A former police officer has admitted to illegally searching the phones of 20 women during traffic stops to obtain nude photos.
While on duty and in uniform as a Florissant, Missouri police officer, Julian Alcala pulled over women in a marked police vehicle between February 6 and May 18, 2024.
Alcala, 30, admitted to the U.S District Court that he took each victim’s mobile phone away from them and back to his patrol car.
He told 19 of the women that he needed to access their phones to confirm insurance coverage, and told the remaining woman that he was checking her vehicle registration.
Without a warrant or probable cause, Alcala then searched through the phones.
Using his own phone, he would take photographs of one or more images that portrayed either the victim or a loved one in a partial or full state of nudity that he found in various folders and apps.
Alcala was reported to the FBI after one of his victims discovered that he had forwarded a video of her to his phone.
He resigned from the Florrisant Police Department in June 2024 after the investigation began.
The Florissant Police Department posted a statement on Facebook about the investigation in November 2024: ‘We are disgusted at this behavior, which is a complete betrayal of the values we uphold and in no way reflects the professionalism and integrity of our dedicated officers.
‘We recognise the gravity of this breach of trust and its impact on our community.
‘Rebuilding that trust is our top priority, and we are committed to transparency, accountability, and regaining the confidence of those we serve.’
The court approved search warrants for Alcala’s phone and his cloud storage found images of his 19 additional victims.
He pleaded guilty to 20 counts of deprivation of rights under colour of law, namely the right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure.
His sentencing is scheduled for March 11, 2026, with each charge carrying a penalty of up to a year in jail, a fine of up to $100,000, or both prison and a fine.
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